Location: Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory
Project Number: 3064-21600-001-130-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Jul 22, 2024
End Date: Jul 14, 2026
Objective:
To conduct collaborative research to support agency, and resiliency of Tribal members through monitoring, assessment and management of the impacts of climate change on Indigenous wild edible plants (i.e. Rubus chamemorus) in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta.
Approach:
The cooperator will co-develop methods with ARS to support Indigenous food sovereignty through Traditional Knowledge. ARS will provide expertise in qualitative data, plant physiology, remote sensing, and modeling. Co-developed methods will focus on (i) Development of geo-spatial tools to monitor health Indigenous wild edibles (i.e Rubus chamemorus), (ii) survey of food safety contaminants, (iii) short documentary (less than 5 mins. on the impacts of climate change), (iv) determine economic and cultural value of Indigenous wild edible plants, (v) oral histories on Traditional Knowledge. Cooperator and ARS will emphasize inclusion of community members in the process. The following conditions will be respected: (1) Effective and respectful communication and data sovereignty methods, (2) Cultural protocols, samples, and traditional ecological knowledge associated will remain property of Nalaquq LLC, (3) Data will be archived at Quinhagak Heritage Inc., (4) Publications, data, products and produced resources will be reviewed and approved by Nalaquq, LLC and the community of Quinhagak., (5) All publications will be co-authored by members of Quinhagak, (6) Prioritization will be made to involve community members at all points of the research process, (7) Research outcomes will be developed in forms that are accessible and useful to Quinhagak community members, (8) Outreach materials will be translated into Yugtun and be focused on audio/visual mediums.
